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Zach Braff

 
Who2 Biography: Zach Braff, Actor / Filmmaker
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  • Born: 6 April 1975
  • Birthplace: South Orange, New Jersey
  • Best Known As: The guy from Scrubs and Garden State

Zach Braff plays J.D. on the television hospital comedy Scrubs and is the writer, director and star of the 2004 feature film Garden State (co-starring Natalie Portman). Braff is a native of New Jersey and a graduate of Northwestern University, where he studied film. A professional actor even as a teen, he made his big screen debut in the 1993 comedy Manhattan Murder Mystery, playing the son of Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. After college Braff landed acting jobs on TV and in the movies, but the success of Scrubs in 2001 was a career breakthrough that afforded him the chance to work in feature films and on his own projects. The independently produced Garden State made a splash at the Sundance Film Festival and nearly achieved cult status, thanks in part to the popular compilation soundtrack album (which earned producer Braff a 2005 Grammy). Until Scrubs came to an end in 2009, Braff continued to work in films as an actor, while writing screenplays and directing music videos on the side. His other film roles include the animated feature Chicken Little (2005, with Don Knotts), The Last Kiss (2006) and The Ex (2006, also known as Fast Track and co-starring Amanda Peet).

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Spotlight: Zach Braff
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From our Archives: Today's Highlights, April 6, 2006

Happy birthday to Scrubs' star Zach Braff who turns 31 today. Best known as J.D. on the TV sitcom Scrubs, Braff was first seen on the big screen in the Woody Allen movie Manhattan Murder Mystery, playing Allen's and Diane Keaton's son. In 2004, Braff made headlines at the Sundance Film Festival with Garden State, a film he wrote, directed and starred in. He won a Grammy for the film's soundtrack. He was the voice of Chicken Little in the eponymous animated film, and also voices one of the roles in the upcoming video game Kingdom Hearts 2.
Actor: Zach Braff
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Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Actors
  • Born: Apr 06, 1975 in South Orange, New Jersey
  • Occupation: Actor, Writer, Director
  • Active: 2000s
  • Major Genres: Comedy, Comedy Drama
  • Career Highlights: Getting to Know You, Scrubs: Season 06, Scrubs: Season 05
  • First Major Screen Credit: Getting to Know You (1999)

Biography

Known mostly for his role as medical intern John "J.D." Dorian on NBC's sitcom Scrubs, Zach Braff has an enthusiasm for acting that can be traced back to his childhood in South Orange, NJ, where, at eight years old, he recalls watching his attorney father participate in a local theater group. Three years later, Braff could be found cultivating his own show-business skills at Stagedoor Manor, a renowned children's acting camp. After attracting the attention of a well-connected talent scout, Braff made his would-have-been television debut opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in an unsold pilot produced by Bruce Paltrow. His contribution to CBS's after-school special My Summer as a Girl in 1994 made it to the television screen, but, by that time, he had a significantly more notable role under his belt: the teenaged son of two neurotic New Yorkers (Woody Allen and Diane Keaton) in Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993).

Though moderately successful in his childhood and late teens, Braff opted to attend college at Northwestern University rather than making an immediate transition to a full-time career of pursuing roles in the wilds of Los Angeles. While at Northwestern, Braff wrote and directed several short films, among them Lionel on a Sunday, which fared successfully in the 1998 festival season. The young actor went on to co-star in Getting to Know You, an adaptation of various short stories penned by author Joyce Carol Oates, which won praise at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. After a role as a gay party-boy drug addict in The Broken Hearts Club (2000), which won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film, Braff auditioned for Scrubs; despite his prior experience, the sitcom undoubtedly became his breakout role.

Indeed, the Scrubs success helped Braff write, direct, and star in Garden State (2003) opposite Natalie Portman and Ian Holm. The "little Sundance film that could" of its particular year, Garden State became a major indie hit, as its look and sound resonated with the creeping-toward-maturity Gen-Y demographic to whom Braff was obviously appealing. His next role as the lead character in Disney's animated Chicken Little appealed to a younger crowd, but still banked some serious cash at the box office. Braff next appeared in the flesh in 2006's Tony Goldwyn romantic comedy The Last Kiss. The film, scripted by Crash's Paul Haggis, co-starred Casey Affleck, Tom Wilkinson, and Blythe Danner, and mined much of the same simultaneously sad and funny emotional ground explored in Garden State. It died a quick death at theaters as fans heeded the advice of critics who deemed it a more morose gloss on well-trod twentysomething angst. The actor's next film was the lighter romantic-triangle comedy The Ex. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
Wikipedia: Zach Braff
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Zach Braff

Zach Braff, 2008
Born Zachary Israel Braff
April 6, 1975 (1975-04-06) (age 34)
South Orange, New Jersey, USA
Occupation Actor, director, screenwriter, producer
Years active 1993–present
Official website

Zachary Israel "Zach" Braff (born April 6, 1975) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. During the 2000s, he became known for his role as John 'J.D.' Dorian, on the popular TV Series Scrubs, which earned him his first Emmy nomination.

Braff also wrote, starred in, and directed 2004's Garden State, a coming of age film which brought him his first financial success and critical acclaim in film work. The soundtrack record, which he selected and produced, earned him a Grammy for Best Soundtrack Album in 2005.

Contents

Early life

Braff was born in South Orange, New Jersey, to a Jewish family. His parents, Hal Braff, a trial attorney and sociology professor, and Anne Brodzinsky, a clinical psychologist, divorced and re-married others during Braff's childhood.[1][2][3] One of his siblings, Joshua, is an author. Braff has wanted to be a filmmaker since his early childhood and has described it as his "life dream."[4] Braff was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder at age 10.[5]

As a teen, Braff attended Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center in upstate New York. He graduated from Columbia High School, in Maplewood, where he worked in the school's television station. Braff graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science in film where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. While attending Northwestern, Braff met singer-songwriter Cary Brothers and Joshua Radin whose music is featured on Braff's comedy series, Scrubs.

Career

Braff began his career behind the scenes as a janitor assistant during William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Macbeth (as Malcolm) at New York City's Public Theater,[4] and also appeared in Woody Allen's 1993 film Manhattan Murder Mystery. Braff was briefly on the Disney program The Baby-sitters Club in an episode titled "Dawn Saves the Trees." He, along with many Scrubs cast members, also has a small role playing himself in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.

Braff is also the voice of the puppy narrator in advertisements for Cottonelle, as well as the narrator for the Brita Water Filter Commercials of 2009.

Scrubs

Braff has played the role of protagonist John "J.D." Dorian on the television show Scrubs since the show's debut in 2001. The role was Braff's first major part in a television show. Braff has been nominated for three Golden Globes and an Emmy for his role as the offbeat doctor.

In March 2007, Braff signed a one-year deal with NBC for the seventh season of Scrubs. He reportedly earned $350,000 an episode, making him one of the highest-paid actors on television,[6] alongside House's Hugh Laurie and Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen. However, Braff claims that these reports "have not been very accurate."[7] In late October 2008, Bill Lawrence confirmed Braff will star in the eighth, and what was expected to be the final season of Scrubs, before adding that Scrubs could continue with a new cast. However, in 2009 and after the eighth season finale of Scrubs aired, it was announced that Braff, along with other regular cast members, would star in six episodes of the show's ninth season to help to transition the show to its new format. Braff has directed several episodes of Scrubs, including its one-hundredth.

Garden State

In addition to directing several episodes of Scrubs, Braff wrote, directed, and starred in 2004's Garden State, which was filmed in his home state of New Jersey, in various towns such as South Orange, Maplewood and Tenafly. Producers were initially reluctant to finance the film, which Braff wrote in six months.[6] After its success, he was sent a large number of scripts that he rejected because they were the kinds of films that he "would never go see or have any interest in being in."[8] In February 2005, he won a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for a Motion Picture for the Garden State soundtrack,[8] on which he also served as the compilation producer.

Voice Acting

Braff has done voice acting, providing a voice for the title character in the Disney animated film Chicken Little (2005), as well as being credited for voice acting in the video game Kingdom Hearts II. Braff has also done voice overs for commercials, including the PUR water ad campaign, Wendy's TV commercials in 2007 and '08,[9] and Cottonelle commercials, in which he portrays the Cottonelle puppy. One Cottonelle ad features a very brief live-action cameo of Braff himself.

Other Work

In 2005, Braff was featured on Ashton Kutcher's Punk'd when he was tricked into chasing a supposed vandal who appeared to be spray-painting his brand new Porsche. He then proceeded to hurl expletives at the young boy until Ashton Kutcher showed up.[10] The episode aired March 20, 2005.[11] Braff has also made a couple of guest appearances on the show Arrested Development as Phillip Litt, a parody of Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis, who produces a film series called Girls with Low Self Esteem.

Braff has directed several music videos: Gavin DeGraw's "Chariot,"[12] Joshua Radin's "Closer" and "I'd Rather Be With You," and Lazlo Bane's "Superman," the theme song from Scrubs. Winning a Grammy Award for assembling the soundtrack album of Garden State and directing three music videos, Braff has said that he "loves music and knows a lot about it."[13] His music production has resulted in newfound success for some of the artists featured on his film soundtracks, such as The Shins, who were prominently featured on the Garden State soundtrack and the Scrubs soundtrack, resulting in the expression the "Zach Braff effect."[14][15]

On May 19, 2007, Braff hosted the 32nd season finale of Saturday Night Live, where in one sketch, he plays a high schooler who tries to explain to the two snobby heads of the prom committee (Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph) how Garden State is an important film to his peers.

Braff was in talks to star in the film Fletch Won and had signed on to play the role eventually played by Dane Cook in Mr. Brooks,[16] but dropped out of both roles to work on Open Hearts, which he adapted from a Danish film and will direct. He has also co-written a film version of Andrew Henry's Meadow, a children's book, with his brother, and was scheduled to direct one of the segments for the film New York, I Love You. However, he was not among those who directed the film, scheduled to be released in October.[17]

In July 2009, he signed on as an executive producer for the documentary Heart of Stone to "help spread the word about it."[18]

The Last Kiss

Braff starred in the romantic drama The Last Kiss, which opened on September 15, 2006. Braff, who tweaked several parts of Paul Haggis' script for the film, wanted the script to be as "real as possible" and "really courageous" regarding its subject matter.[19] The film's director, Tony Goldwyn, compared Braff to a younger version of Tim Allen, describing Braff as "incredibly accessible to an audience... a real guy, an everyman."[1]

As with Garden State, Braff was involved with the film's soundtrack; he served as executive producer and selected lesser known artists such as Frou Frou, Joshua Radin, Schuyler Fisk, and Rachael Yamagata, as well as Remy Zero, Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Turin Brakes, The Shins and Aimee Mann,[8] to appear on the track.[19]

The Last Kiss grossed approximately $11 million at the North American box office,[20] and was considered a commercial disappointment;[6] however, worldwide box office receipts and DVD rentals added $35 million to the take, bringing in nearly twice the production cost of $20 million for the film.

The Ex

In 2007, Braff starred in the film The Ex, which he has described as a "silly comedy,"[21] and which was released on May 11, 2007 and also starred Amanda Peet, Charles Grodin and Jason Bateman. Braff said on his blog that "the movie didn't do as well as he expected."[citation needed]

Open Hearts

Braff's next directorial project is the upcoming, 2011 film Open Hearts, a remake of a 2002 Danish film of the same name. The project has been put in limbo due to Braff's work on Scrubs. The film will focus on a woman, shocked by her fiance's paralysis in a car crash. She ends up having an affair with her husband's doctor, whose wife caused the original accident. The original film starred Mads Mikkelsen, Sonja Richter, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, and Paprika Steen. The cast for Braff's remake have not been revealed yet. It was first revealed that Zach Braff was planning to remake Open Hearts in 2006,[22] at the same time Braff's film The Last Kiss was being released. The film will be produced by Paramount Pictures.

On his blog, Zach Braff announced that directing the film had been delayed due to his show Scrubs being renewed.[23] The production of the film has been put in limbo several times due to Braff returning to film the seventh and eighth seasons of Scrubs, and in 2006 it was revealed that Braff had put the project on hold for a year after difficulties surrounding casting. The picture was to be filmed in New Jersey, Braff's hometown and location of Garden State, in the summer of 2006[22] This date has been changed but the location is believed to remain the same.

Swingles

Zach Braff announced via his Facebook page that he is working on the script of the film "Swingles",[24] which he will direct and star in alongside Cameron Diaz.[25]

Personal life

In early 2006, unnamed sources told In Touch Weekly magazine that Mandy Moore and Braff were engaged.[26] Moore's representative denied the engagement.[27] In the summer of 2007, Braff started to date Roswell star Shiri Appleby.[28][29]

In November 2008, Braff earned his pilot's license flying a Cirrus SR20.[30] Braff's step-sister is Jessica Kirson, a New York stand-up comedienne.[31] His brother is author Joshua Braff.

Like their characters JD and Turk on Scrubs, Braff and Donald Faison are best friends in real life. Also he is best friends with his English school friend Damien Lynaugh

False Report of Death

On October 13, 2009, a report that Braff had been found dead in his Beverly Hills home following taking a bottle of pills was spread quickly through the internet. This is however a fake report made two years previous to the circulation. He has since posted on his official Facebook profile about the joke[32], and not long after, replied mentioning the source of the joke in a video[33]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1993 The Babysitters Club David Cummings One episode only
1993 Manhattan Murder Mystery Nick Lipton
2000 Broken Hearts Club Benji
Blue Moon Fred
2001-2010 Scrubs Dr. John Michael "J.D." Dorian (Narrator) Main character for 168 Episodes.
Scheduled to appear in 6 episodes in season 9.
2002 It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie Himself
2004 Garden State Andrew Largeman Writer/Director/Soundtrack Producer
2005 Chicken Little Chicken Little Voice only
2006 The Last Kiss Michael
2007 The Ex Tom Reilly

References

  1. ^ a b Dawson, Angela (2006-09-06). "Braff's 'Kiss'". AZ Central. http://www.azcentral.com/ent/movies/articles/0909braff0909.html. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
  2. ^ Bloom, Steven M. (2004-07-15). "Back in the ‘The Ex’". NEW JERSEY JEWISH NEWS. http://www.njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/2004/71504/ltgarden.html. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
  3. ^ Zach Braff Biography (1975-2009)
  4. ^ a b "Life After `Garden State'". CTNow.com. 2006-09-09. http://www.ctnow.com/movies/hce-sholede0910.artsep10,0,2842185.story?coll=hce-headlines-entertainment. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
  5. ^ The next Woody Allen? - Film - www.smh.com.au
  6. ^ a b c "60 SECONDS: Zach Braff". Metro.co.uk. 2006-10-19. http://www.metro.co.uk/fame/interviews/article.html?in_article_id=21824&in_page_id=11. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  7. ^ Braff, Zach (2007-03-30). "Blog. Cog. Snog. Frog. Oh my Gog!". Zach Braff.com. http://www.zachbraff.com/comments.php?id=103. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
  8. ^ a b c Erstein, Hap (2006-09-10). "Goodbye, Scrubs?". The Oxford Press. http://www.oxfordpress.com/life/content/shared/living/stories/2006/09/ZACH_BRAFF_0910_COX.html. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  9. ^ Keller, Joel Zach Braff says he's not a jerk TV Squad (June 26, 2007). Retrieved on 2-13-09.
  10. ^ "Braff Busted Beating Up Teen on 'Punk'd'". Hollywood.com. 2006-09-14. http://www.hollywood.com/news/Braff_Busted_Beating_Up_Teen_on_Punkd/3553284. Retrieved 2008-07-01. 
  11. ^ ""Punk'd" Episode #4.3 (2005)". IMDB.com. 2005-03-20. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0680543/. Retrieved 2007-04-15. 
  12. ^ Braff, Zach (2005-03-21). "Warning: Not Funny!". Zach Braff's Garden State Blog. http://gardenstate.typepad.com/zach_braffs_garden_state_/2005/03/warning_not_fun.html. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
  13. ^ As stated on Last Call with Carson Daly.
  14. ^ Leopold, Todd (2008-09-26). "Singer has some fame, but no 'Zach Braff effect'". CNN.com. CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/26/josh.rouse/index.html. Retrieved 2008-09-26. 
  15. ^ Lester, Paul (2007-03-16). "Frodo gets funky". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/mar/16/popandrock2. Retrieved 2008-09-26. 
  16. ^ Kepnes, Caroline (2007-05-23). "Dane Cook: Employee of the Month. I'm Serious". E! Online. http://www.eonline.com/movies/reelgirl/detail/index.jsp?uuid=89536bb9-6adc-4224-afbd-5220c514a398. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
  17. ^ Goldberg, Matt (2009-05-21). "Zach Braff hangs with SWINGLES". Collider.com. http://www.collider.com/2009/05/21/zach-braff-hangs-with-swingles/. Retrieved 2009-09-16. 
  18. ^ http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=99806535469&share_id=106116360137&comments=1#s106116360137
  19. ^ a b Adler, Shawn (2007-09-07). "Can This Love "Last"?". MTV Movies. http://www.mtv.com/shared/movies/flickd/l/last_kiss_060907/. Retrieved 2007-04-15. 
  20. ^ "THE LAST KISS". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lastkiss06.htm. Retrieved 2007-05-23. 
  21. ^ Murray, Rebecca (2007-09-08). "Zach Braff Discusses Fletch Won". About.com. http://movies.about.com/od/thelastkiss/a/lastkisszb90806_2.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-15. 
  22. ^ a b http://movies.about.com/od/moviesinproduction/a/openheart031406.htm
  23. ^ http://www.zachbraff.com/
  24. ^ http://www.facebook.com/ZachBraff?v=feed&story_fbid=103647809092
  25. ^ Sciretta, Peter; grez868 (2009-05-21). "Braff to direct and star alongside Cameron Diaz". http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/05/21/zach-braff-to-direct-swingles/. Retrieved 2009-10-13. 
  26. ^ "ZACH + MANDY TO WED?". Contact Music. 2006-02-01. http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/zach%20+%20mandy%20to%20wed_01_02_2006. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
  27. ^ "Correction: Braff and Moore Not Engaged". IMDB.com. 2007-02-09. http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2006-02-09/. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
  28. ^ "Braff Back With Ex Appleby". recent WENN news. wenn.com. 2008-08-07. http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0524179/. 
  29. ^ Beth Hilton (2008-08-10). "Braff reunites with ex-girlfriend". digitalspy.co.uk. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a121437/braff-reunites-with-ex-girlfriend.html?imdb. 
  30. ^ http://bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/leisure/Zach-Braff-s-love-of-flying.php
  31. ^ http://www.njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/2004/71504/ltgarden.html
  32. ^ Braff, Zach (2009-10-12). "Braff confirms he is still alive". Zach Braff on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/ZachBraff?v=feed&story_fbid=191712223384. Retrieved 2009-10-12. 
  33. ^ Braff, Zach (2009-10-12). "Braff names joker in Facebook video". Zach Braff on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1242789193066. Retrieved 2009-10-12. 

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From Today's Highlights
April 6, 2006

I always liked the story of Noah's Ark and the idea of starting anew by rescuing the things you like and leaving the rest behind.
- Zach Braff

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